weekender EDITED BY SHARON BRADLEY
BEST BUYS, HOT SPOTS, NEW IDEAS
object of desire
DREAM DESTINATION
ROYAL PALM HOTEL, MAURITIUS More than a century ago, Mark Twain wrote, “You gather the idea that Mauritius was made first, and then heaven; and that heaven was copied after Mauritius.” And the Royal Palm Hotel, the island’s most prestigious address, easily lives up to that description. On arrival you are welcomed by a team of beaming staff whose mission, for the duration of your stay, is to see that you want for nothing. Advantageously positioned in a picturesque pocket on the island’s north-west coast, all of the hotel’s 69 stylishly decked-out suites face a lagoon that is outrageous in its azure beauty. There are also a plethora of water activities, an elegant Clarins spa set amid lush green gardens, and a groovy kids’ kingdom housed in a traditional Creole dwelling. Make time to eat often, since the three restaurants – La Goélette, La Brezza and Le Bar Plage – offer admission to a gustatory paradise. tatyana leonov
The perfect companion to weekend living, the new Ruark Audio R4 MK3 Integrated Music System (IMS) is filling our rooms with a big, warm sound that travels effortlessly out of doors, winding satisfying tendrils of music around all our home-front fun. With a previous incarnation of the R4 earning a “finest allin-one system” accolade, this updated model is a gift to the audiophile who doesn’t want to sully their home decor with an abundance of wires. In other words, it encompasses in a single, good-looking box (we love the retro walnut veneer finish) an enhanced multiformat CD player, Bluetooth receiver, digital radio tuner, USB port and powerful 2.1 amplifier/speaker. After a long spell of Bluetoothing, we’re enjoying rediscovering our old CD collection. RUARK AUDIO R4 MK3 IMS (IN WALNUT, BLACK OR WHITE, 14CM X 44CM X 25CM), $1499; SYNERGYAUDIO.COM
we love You could be forgiven for wondering if the world really needs another activity tracker, but there’s much to admire in the iFit Vue. First, there’s the way all your personal data is streamlined through its bright, easy-to-use touch screen. Then there’s the fact that it can automatically detect the type of activity you’re engaged in. And have we mentioned its compatibility with any Bluetooth-smart heart-rate monitor, and the ease with which the tracker pod synchronises with the free smartphone app to confirm just how well (or badly!) you slept last night? We think the price is pretty nifty, too. IFIT VUE (AVAILABLE IN SANGRIA PUNCH, PICTURED, AND KNOCKOUT), $149; PROFORMFITNESS.COM.AU
ROYAL ROAD, GRAND BAIE; FROM $US275 A NIGHT; ROYALPALM-HOTELS.COM
GEOFF BOCCALATTE
5
TRELLIS DESIGNS
$75
FLORENCE BROADHURST “BAMBOO” CUSHION davidjones.com.au
COMPILED BY KATHY McKINNON
$490
STUDIO DOSSIER “PENT” BOX studiodossier.com.au
$750
ABALOS “TRELLIS COMPLEMENT” TABLE abalos.com.au
$750
MAGIS “CHAIR ONE” cultdesign.com.au
$3025
STUDIO DOSSIER “NODO” CHAIR studiodossier.com.au
33